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Vernal-icious Events in Philly This Spring

The trees are blooming, seeds are sprouting and the weather — and our appetite for gustatory entertainment — is warming up. It can only mean one thing: it's time for spring food and drink festivals! Here's a few that I am putting on my calendar:

Sunday, May 5th is the Third Annual Philadelphia Burger Brawl at the Fleisher Art Memorial, located on 719 Catherine Street in South Philadelphia. televison personality Marc Summers (Restaurant: Impossible, Double Dare) will emcee the event. Twenty of the city’s top chefs will compete for the top burger award at this fundraiser to benefit the construction of computer labs in public elementary schools in Philadelphia. The event for about 700 attendees (it sells out every year — to purchase tickets, click on the link above) was created in 2011 by Rob Wasserman, owner of Rouge, 500 Degrees and The Saint James.

The Food Trust has been hosting Night Markets — Philadelphia-fied street food festivals — for the past few years. This year, they are planning four of these insanely well-attended shindigs: May 16 on Fairmount Avenue; June 20 in West Oak Lane; August 15 on South Street; and a date to be determined in October in Chinatown. Rows of food trucks and restaurants can become quickly crowded with people, but it's worth being able to sample some of our city's best street food and make some new friends while waiting in line.

Did you know that our Philly Beer Week is the nation’s largest celebration of beer? This year's edition will be held Friday, May 31 through Sunday, June 9. There are sooooo many events with soooooo many breweries to attend, but don't let that overwhelm you. My advice: download the app to help you manage your schedule. One event that hasn't been announced yet will be a blues and classic rock cover musical collaboration with Chef Jeremy Nolen (Brauhaus Schmitz) and Chef Ben Puchowitz (Cheu Noodle Bar) at Brauhaus Schmitz.

The 8th annual Great Chefs Event, benefitting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the Vetri Foundation for Children will be held June 11 at Urban Outfitters headquarters at the Navy Yard, Philadelphia. At this spectacular celebration, upwards of 1,200 guests will enjoy dining on the signature dishes of some of the most-celebrated chefs not just from Philadelphia, but from around the world.

If you have any other events that we should know about, please post in the comment section or send me an email.